Sep. 2, 2014
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by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

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Captain Tom Watson rounded out the U.S. Ryder Cup team Tuesday by selecting Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson as his three discretionary selections for the match-play tussle with Europe Sept. 26-28 at Gleneagles in Scotland.

The three captain's picks â?? made at Studio 8H in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, home to Saturday Night Live â?? join the nine players who automatically qualified for the team in the points race â?? Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Jim Furyk, Jimmy Walker, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Zach Johnson.

Walker, Spieth and Reed will be making their Ryder Cup debuts.

Europe has won five of the last six matches, including in 2012 when it stormed back from a 10-6 deficit on the last day to win, 14Â½-13Â½, at Medinah Country Club northwest of Chicago. The lone victory for the U.S. came in 2008.

"I think redemption is going to be a strong word amongst all the players," Mahan said. "Europe has flatâ??out kicked our butts over the last 10 or 15 years and that's just the way it is. Everyone is going to work extremely hard over the next 24 days getting ready for it. We are all going to be mentally prepared for the challenge, because we have a great challenge ahead of us."

Watson, who was the captain in 1993 when the U.S. last won on foreign soil, added experience to his squad. Bradley was 3-1 at Medinah and teamed with Mickelson to go 3-0.

"Keegan has the ability to hit the ball a long way," Watson said. "Now, Keegan, he can go real low. He certainly teamed up great with Phil Mickelson. There are a lot of great pluses about Keegan, but the most important thing he brings to it is his unbridled passion to play on the Ryder Cup team."

Mahan, who is 3-2-3 in Ryder Cup matches, was on the team that won in 2008, but he lost in the pivotal singles match to Graeme McDowell that gave Europe victory in 2012.

Watson likes his chances with Mahan in match play. "Match play seems to be his forte," Watson said. "Match play is a little different than medal play. You have somebody who can understand how to play not only the course but the player. That's an advantage. Some people, they don't shine in match play but Hunter Mahan is that person.

" â?¦ Hunter also has had a wonderful stretch of golf recently. He is really, really a great ballâ??striker, and he's coming into his own right now."

Simpson was 2-2 at Medinah, teaming with Watson to go 2-1.

Neither Bradley nor Simpson has won this season. Mahan won the FedExCup Playoffs opener at The Barclays.

Watson's counterpart, Paul McGinley, filled out his squad earlier Tuesday by using his three captain's picks on Ian Poulter, Stephen Gallacher and Lee Westwood.

Poulter was the team's heart and soul at Medinah and is 12-3 in three Ryder Cup matches.

Westwood will be playing in his ninth Ryder Cup and has an 18-13-6 record. Gallacher will make his Ryder Cup debut. He has eight top-10s on the European Tour this season and lives just 35 miles away from Gleneagles. In 2013 at Gleneagles, he lost in a three-man playoff at the Johnnie Walker Championship.

Left off the team was former world No. 1 and Ryder Cup hero Luke Donald, who has never been on a losing team in four Ryder Cup matches and has a record of 10-4-1. But his form has been off this season and he hadn't registered a top-10 since April on the PGA Tour.

"That was a very, very difficult conversation â?? my relationship with Luke is very close," McGinley said. "He was very, very disappointed, and rightly so. â?¦ His record in the Ryder Cup stands with anybody in the game."

Donald, who played his first Ryder Cup match alongside McGinley, showed class after hearing of his rejections.

"Even though you have not picked me, I still believe you'll be a great captain." McGinley quoted Donald as saying. "His last few words were: 'Go Europe.' I think that says a lot about Luke."